Israel Vazquez, fierce warrior, 3-time world champion, dies at 46

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Mexico’s Israel Vazquez, a three-time junior featherweight world champion, two-time honoree for his participation in the fight of the year, and one of the fiercest ring warriors of his generation, died on Monday. He was 46.

Vazquez’s death was announced by WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman.

Nicknamed “El Magnifico,” Vazquez’s passing came less than a month after he publicly revealed on Nov. 10 that he had cancer and the WBC set up a GoFundMe campaign to assist with his medical expenses.

“Israel Vazquez is finally resting in peace,” Sulaiman wrote on social media. “May God give strength and support to his wife Laura, their children, family and friends during these difficult times. Thank you, champion for leaving such a special mark. You will always be the ‘Magnificent.’

“Thank you, Israel for the so many great memories that you have given us through your actions inside the ring, but most importantly outside of it. You are now eternal. Rest in peace, everything will be alright.”

Vazquez (44-5, 32 KOs), who turned pro at age 17 in 1995 and boxed until 2010, engaged in several memorable fights but none more than the first three all-time classic battles with Hall of Famer Rafael Marquez.

Between March 2007 and March 2008, Vazquez and Marquez engaged in three brutal slugfests, each for the WBC 122-pound world title and each televised on Showtime.

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In the first bout, Marquez was knocked down in the third round, but rallied to stop Vazquez, who had a bad nose injury that caused him breathing problems, in the seventh round to win the WBC title in Carson, California.

It was the leading fight of the year contender until five months later when they met again. In the even more violent rematch, Vazquez knocked Marquez out in the sixth round to regain the title in Hidalgo, Texas, in what was the consensus 2007 fight of the year.

With the thrilling series tied 1-1, they squared off in a trilogy fight on March 1, 2008, once again in Carson, California, and they put on the best fight of the rivalry. Vazquez was down in the fourth round and Marquez was ruled down when the ropes held him up in the 12th round as Vazquez retained the title by split decision in a hellacious battle that was the consensus 2008 fight of the year.

Vazquez, who had been stripped of the title due to injuries that kept him sidelined for a 1½ years, returned for a low-level win in an October 2009 featherweight fight against Angel Priolo and then faced Marquez for the fourth time in May 2010 in a nontitle featherweight bout. But Vazquez was badly faded by that point and Marquez overpowered him in a one-sided third-round knockout that marked the end of Vazquez’s career.

In retirement, Vazquez lost his right eye, which he had three surgeries on, including for a detached retina as a result of the damage he took in the third fight against Marquez.

Vazquez won his first world title, the vacant IBF junior featherweight belt, by 12th-round knockout of Jose Luis Valbuena in March 2004 at the famed Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles and made two defenses.

Vazquez then challenged Oscar Larios for the WBC title in 2005 and knocked him out in the third round to win it and avenge a 12th-round knockout loss to him in a dramatic 2002 fight for the WBC interim title.

Vazquez made two successful defenses, a fourth-round knockout of Ivan Hernandez and a 10th-round knockout of Jhonny Gonzalez, before losing the title to Marquez in their first bout.

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, who worked with Vazquez for many years, paid tribute to him on social media.

“Forever a world champion and legend in boxing,” Roach wrote. “One of the best boxers I ever had the privilege of working with. Israel, may you rest in peace now. Condolences to the Vazquez family and to all those who called Israel their friend.”

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Vazquez-Marquez photo: Showtime

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